Welcome to Digitally Downloaded’s weekly catch-up news feature, the catch-up coffee. With each issue I will bring you the best news that you may have missed. Grab the biggest mug you’ve got, fill it with your favourite brew, and catch up with us (and our favourite news anchor, Dee Dee)!
Farming sim Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge launches this week
I used to be obsessed with a mobile game called Pocket Frogs, where you collected and bred frogs with hundreds of different patterns and colours. Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge reminds me a bit of Pocket Frogs, except way more farming sim-y and probably closer to real life. The game is about collecting/raising frogs, farming, and preserving nature. It all begins as you, the kind soul that you are, help an old friend restore the wetlands from your childhood and turn it into a haven for frogs.
There are over 1,000 frogs to feed, breed, collect, and raise. How to attract new frogs, well, that’s up to you to find out. Unlock all the rare colours through a breeding mini-game. Photograph and breed frogs to get a better reputation, decorate your refuge, dig ponds, and plant native crops so the land thrives. You can pick the crops and turn them into sellable goods, too.
Developed by Humble Reeds and published by Armor Games Studios, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuse will be released for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series on June 8. The Xbox version is a welcome surprise, as it hadn’t been announced prior to last week.
Out-of-this-world journalism game Times & Galaxy launches later this month
Being a journalist on Earth is a rough job these days, so why not try the profession in outer space instead? (Or do what some of the staff at Copychaser did and become games writers instead.) Become the first robo reporter for the Times & Galaxy, a trusted holopaper. Sure, you’re just an intern, but you can always work your way up! Or at least, try to work your way into a steady job. You’re assigned stories and decide what to cover, from intersolar cat shows to space ghost funerals. This may not seem cozy to everyone, but it sure does to me!
When you’ve chosen the assignment, interview sources, dig for clues, and investigate locations. The more you find, the more you have to work with. Then sit down with the Build-a-Story tool to choose the article’s tone and what to include. The choices from each story will slowly shape the paper’s reputation.
Developed by Copychaser Games and published by Fellow Traveller, Times & Galaxy will be released for PC via Steam/GOG/Humble, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on June 21.
Exploration game Caravan SandWitch announced
Head off on a journey across a sci-fi Provence-inspired world to find your missing sister in Caravan SandWitch. The game is as cozy and wholesome as it gets: there is no combat, no death, and no timer. It’s just you, your van, and the open road. You’ll interact with people in the communities on Cigalo, helping them when need-be. Explore in your van of by foot. The van can be upgraded as the game progresses.
The game might be wholesome, but the trip isn’t easy: navigate treacherous terrain to uncover ancient ruins and discover how humans impacted the once-green planet. You’ll meet an old aboriginal species, the Reiinetos, and the titular SandWitch. Everyone lives together peacefully. The developer aimed for the game to be inclusive, with a script representing a real community’s people.
Developed by Plane Toast and published by Dear Villagers, Caravan SandWitch will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch this year.
Garden sim The Garden Path launches toward the end of July
The Garden Path was quite successful on Kickstarter, achieving 125% of its target funding back in 2021. Three years later, the hand-drawn storybook-style game about the joy of gardening is set to launch for PC and Nintendo Switch late next month. Celebrate small moments, make new friends, build something of your very own, and find new life in old things… all at whatever pace you want.
It was designed to be played in short bursts. Time runs alongside that in the real world. Each day brings new travellers, events, activities, and distractions. There are 10-30 minutes of things to do each day. Yet there are also so many options: cultivate plants, whistle to charm fish, design your home, help your friends, and learn about other people.
Developed by carrotcake and published by Mooncat Games, The Garden Path will be released for PC via Steam/itch.io and Nintendo Switch on July 30.
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